The City Council of Almeida uses a small font to punish an independent culture: “They follow you” | News from Madrid

Lore Kumina is two years old to pay To the city council Madrid More than 36,000 euros. This 69 -year -old American artist makes efforts to calm down and explain what happened. This is not easy. He spent sleepless nights, breaking his head to find out how he would return this money, which corresponds to 34,000 euros of cultural assistance, which he received in 2021, plus another 2000 euros per delay. Do you have to launch your house? He is surprised. What bothers you the most is how the festival of modern dance, which is organized in the capital for 39 years, and this is an international link, will be supported by an international link. Choreographic contest of Madrid. “I not only plan to save it because it is my project,” she explains recently on her floor, where posters hang from past publications. “This is a project with a very large network of effects and feelings, and I do not want him to die for it.”

Like her, many artists have suffered over the past year and a half due to the hard turn of the mayor Jose Louis Martinezalmade in her policy of subsidies into the world of culture. As a sponsorship, the municipal mechanism considered the help, which in some cases dates from time to time of the Carmen Manuel and orders return on the basis of violations so that they can solve with the help of simple shipping paper. The City Council guarantees that the law must comply, but lawyers specializing in cultural subsidies reply that these punishments are disproportionate. The consistory does not report how much help retired, but lawyers say that they did not see the waves of the reintegrates like this.

The consequences are dramatic for some artists who suffer from unreliability. Little imported that subsidized projects received awards, such as Documentary CrackIN On municipal evictions or recognition abroad, such as the Cumin competition. “They are asked to receive a complete return, instead of taking the damage caused to the city council,” says lawyer Eva Moraga. “These are small sensitive actions with the cultural fabric of your city.”

Kumin’s problems have a reason in the document that she shows on the computer’s computer, which she uses as an office. This is a decree of the delegate of the culture of the city council of Marta River -de -Krus dated May 22, 2024. He orders him to return 34,160, 92 euros, which provided him in 2021, plus 2728.20 euros of interest. The document on the 19th page is summarized by a shot and DACA for several months between it and municipal techniques. The conflict is not due to the fact that it did not organize the festival of the year that was held as other publications in the center of Conde Duque, not far from Plaza de España, as was demonstrated with a video, a collection of cash fees or writing memory. The problems of the form are discussed, such as errors in the forms of justification of expenses or the absence of cumin communication in the budget.

She is a veteran in this cultural assistance. He has half of his life asking for subsidies to various Spanish administrations and knows reality from the other side, because in the period from 1989 to 1995 she was a Madrid community consultant in which she had a contribution to the sector. “They never asked me for a return,” he says. In fact, not one of the other administrations that also financed this publication of his competition in 2021 asked him to return the money – the EU, the central government and the Madrid community.

“Obviously, I recognize the need to correctly justify state money,” he emphasizes. “But I feel that this treatment is unfair.” In general, techniques set a dialogue with the beneficiaries, which they warn when they find errors. But she and others, who suffered from the country, say that since 2023, when she took the position of the Rivere de la Cruz, these officials became hostile. “I am not the only one who has the feeling that they are going to you.”

River de la Cruz, who, before taking part in the municipal position, was the Minister of Culture in the regional government, Isabelle Diaz Ayuso, refused the interview. Its representative explains: “The delegate cannot enter into an assessment of administrative issues.”

The press secretary says that there were no manuals for officials: “The city council only ensures compliance with the rules of assistance that takes place with state money.”

A turn in a municipal policy emphasized relations with the sector of a non -profit culture, which for a long time was offended by Almeida. There was a controversial case Movement in 2021 Medialab Prado, An innovative and bright cultural center, which was transferred from his headquarters next to Paseo -Dodo to the Matadero Cultural Center, and since then he has lost relevance as a place to participate in citizens. In addition, cultural associations complain that the Council of Culture, the Council of Culture, allows you to die, The organizer of participation developed by Carmen.

“They consider us red,” says Rafael Penalver, president of the main association of artists, sculptors or videos of artists Madrid, Avam. “They do not understand that we represent many apolitical artists and even the right.” The penalver says that an example of this bias is that Avam was supposed to leave the massacre in 2023, from where they worked without costs for 16 years. “They do not want people for free. They rent everything. “

No one knows how much is affected. The mouths are in the mouth, some entered the WhatsApp group called bureaucratic violence in which 25 members. In October, they asked for a meeting with Rivera de la Cruz, who did not answer. They are in contact with a lot of Madrid. Edu Rubiño, an adviser to this party, says that it would be avoided whether Almeid has opened an office for helping, A proposal that led to the captive meeting of Cibeles in 2022, But what was rejected pp. “Most specialists in creating and cultural production do not know help, subsidies and state resources or how to get access to them,” says Rubinho. “I tell Almeide that now is the time to fix it.”

Risk sports

Public funds are fundamental for many projects of remarkable impact, which do not always offer direct economic profitability. Thousands of artists in Madrid are competing for money from different administrations, and the city council is Key source from the era of Carmen, When the increase was given to non -profit culture, after drought during the Ana Botella mandate (p.). City Council of Almeida He distinguishes the line of subsidies for cultural fabric Which includes money for creation (7.5 million euros for 2022-25), for small rooms in format (3.7 million), independent places (3 million) or for festivals (6.6 million).

Competition for a cultural subsidy becomes risky sports when the administration behaves non -bending. Lawyers warn that not the same for financing solar panels as cultural work. When checking the compliance of the administration, sometimes they require compensation if the artists have introduced changes in the project, something ordinary in the creative process. In addition, money often arrives late, and that the work cannot be completed during the time or in the original terms. Numerous procedures and technical language are added to this, it is difficult to understand.

“It would be advisable that these circumstances be taken into account from the administrations and mechanisms were developed to prevent cultural companies and organizations were immersed in reimbursement or even authorization of procedures, for other people,” specialized in the culture of Valuero Rocío, lawyer Gabeiras, Madrid office specializing in culture.

For artists living in the know, such as the 53 -year -old choreographer Mamen Agüra, the return order was destructive. They ask for 13,000 euros, more than the interests of the dance project about the response women during Franco, Plotin Oblivion, which she and her group of dancers held in 2018. They acted In Madrid, Madrid, The community art festival, and entered the advertising shield of an alternative theater, a narrow door.

The order signed by River de la Cruz on June 11 last year destabilized him. The City Council was based on Agüra, requested 33,574 euros. Since they gave only a third, and she did not correct the project down, experts told her that there was a percentage of Unjusta 69.17%. She told them little that she had fulfilled what was promised by stretching the available resources.

“Suddenly they ask me 13,000 euros when I saved, only 3,000 euros.” Alarmed, moved to Mallorca. He filed a judicial appeal to the former lawyer Officio and found a job in a jewelry store. Look for “restart, looking at the sea.”

Kumin also resorted. In anticipation of the judge, he organizes his competition, which will take place from December 3 to 7. The money of the city council is important, but not the only ones. Like every year, he asked for assistance to various administrations to get a budget that exceeds 100,000 euros. He needs them for trips and maintenance of twenty participating companies, salaries of technical specialists or promotion.

What if there is no money? A sigh before saying that you will find ways to adapt. “I feel such a passion for this that I do not want to leave it.”

Do you have something to say? Write to the author fpeinado@elpais.es